Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-03-11
A MODERN GYPSY A NJ
Edgar L. Wakeman With an Ancient
RNce-Camp by the Roadside.

RNce-Camp by the Roadside.
ANY one would be interested in noting
how rapidly the members of a Gypsy
band adjust themselves TO their surround
ings when a camping place has been
reached. Almost within an hour the
place will nave all the appearance of
settled abiding. In every direction you
will see in light and shadow the covered
wagons sheltered by the overhanging
foliage of great forest trees, some of the
meanest, poorest type, others rich in
trappings and decorations. Near to each
and scattered about the grass. or carefully
stretched over %improvised racks formed
by saplings bent and their tops fastened
by bark throngs to clumps of brush or
stout wooden g driven into the
ground, or still hung upon the smooth,
outstretching limbs of trees, are saddles,
blankets, parts of harness, or various por-
tons of the outfit of the road. Here and
there are light buggies, with which trad
ing is done at the distant town, or in
which shrewd dukkerers fortune t%ellers)
seek the credulous occupants of outlying
farms.
Between all these, OF tethered where
most convenient, are horses and mules in
large numbers and of all grades. though
really excellent animals predominant,
m%unching their corn or nibbling at their
hay, cornstalks or freshly cut oats or
grass, and whinnying and snorting in
their needs and freaks as strapping lads
leisurely care for them. Within the open
spaces around which the wagons are
standing-invariably with the open fronts
facing these spaces and the closely COW
cred rear ends toward the forest or road
are scattered the tents, like great
brown wooden hoods, their mouths open
ing upon CHEEKY fires, at the side of
which will always be found the black
iron kettle sticks. from which are hang
ing. at nearly all hours of the day or
night, the sizzling pots or singing kettles.
You will nearly always find this camp
near the highway. though almost as fire.
quentlv entirely hid from it, like IA nest;
and, to my mind. the Gypsy camp always
recalls how. when | was "a BROW faced.
tumicked country boy with others of
my ilk. we hunted the nests of the
meadow lark. and passed and repassed
them. at times stepping squarly over
them without our prying eyes discovering
the tiny homes we We're robbing. unless
mayhap the brown and notified little
mother. wild in fear, with a wlIirr and
flutter rose startlingly almost beneath our
very feet. Then there is the stream,
large or small. never more than a few
rods distant. Below the camp-that is,
down the stream from it's the horse
path, where Gypsy lads lead the animals
to water. and from which. if the stream
be large enough, you will see them daily
,. t1n lA,.-A- a,1 ,,,,,1n. Co.,
cleanliness of person and animals is "a
part of Gypsy religion-with much
laughter and iollity, as l have seen the
gay nadadors disport with Havana horses
in the sea off the Gale Anche del Norte.
Above the camp a few rods is the path
where the lads and lasses bring the
drinking and cooking waite. Midway
between there will be found aspot which
slopes to the stream. Here ae sand and
pebbles cleaning in the sun, r may be a
flat rock with freckled face and sides,
shelving over or into the water. 1t is
here the women come and duck their
chauvies. as mother geese will school
their goslings. or where the, wash their
clothing much after the fashion of Ger
man housewives down in cd Bavaria,
and upon the alders near will flutter
gowns that have IA witching lOk as if par
taking of their wearers' rae heredity,
while the red and yellow coton stuffs in
undergarments. handkerchief. scarfs and
turbans flaunt airily, subjective of old
Spain m the savage colorsf the Mos
lens that left barbarous tohns thread
ing down the centuries to he CASTLE of
our own day. From dives ropes or
bark thongs, slung from cllnps of will
lows or fastenedto woodenpee driven into
the bank, may be traced clo.ly covered,
well oiled tin pals or iugsf earthen-
ware, resting in the cooling nter. which
hold various cooked or uncdked articles
: of food. Over here, just athe edge of
the camp. you will see whe the chau-
vies have ~disengaged a rug;d old vine
from a c%entury-old tree andhave trans
formed it into a swing, orin the alb
: sence of that, nave spliced, acleverly as
. could sailors, bits of ropes to one-for
the child-heart is the san the earth
round-and there are great tighter and
happiness here.-Edgar L. 'akeman in
Chicago News.